Benjamin Keach

Keach originated from Buckinghamshire and worked as a Tailor. He was
baptized at the age of 15 and began preaching at 18. He was the minister
of the congregation at Winslow before moving in 1668 to the church at Horse-lie-down,
Southwark where he remained for 36 years as pastor. It was as representative
of this church that Keach went to the 1689 General Assembly and subscribed
the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. The signing of the confession
was no mute doctrinal assent on the part of the church, for in the same
year they entered into a Solemn Covenant which reflects,
at the practical and congregational level, some of the doctrines of the
confession. There was a secession from Horse-lie-down in 1673 and the Old
Kent Road congregation was formed. From this congregation eventually came
the New Park Street Church where C. H. Spurgeon became the Pastor, later
moving to the new location at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Spurgeon republished
the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith for use in the congregation
(see What is a Confession of Faith?).

Keach wrote 43 works, of which his "Parables and Metaphors of
Scripture" may be the best known. He wrote a work entitled "A
Child's Instructor" which immediately brought him under persecution
and he was fined and pilloried in 1664. He is attributed with the writing
of a Catechism commonly known as "Keach's Catechism", although
it is most likely that the original was compiled by William
Collins. Keach is also know to have promoted the introduction of hymn
singing in the churches. Keach was one of the seven men who sent out the
invitation to the 1689 General Assembly.